Nourishing our world

Agriculture can meet the world’s rising demand for food. Improving global food security, especially in the midst of climate change, means the right crops must be grown in the most productive places and food must move from places of abundance to places of scarcity. Investments in innovation and training will give farmers the tools they need to increase productivity and meet tomorrow’s food demand. We know the world’s farmers are resilient entrepreneurs. We support farmers at all levels of production as they adapt to changing growing conditions, consumer demands and nutritional needs.

We improve the availability of safe, affordable, nutritious food by promoting market access for farmers, transporting food to areas of need and addressing hunger globally:

Market insight – Farmers need reliable markets for their crops, proper crop storage, access to credit, transparent pricing and the ability to manage risk. We understand what it takes for crops to be commercially viable, and we bring that market insight to our collaboration with farmers, governments, civil society groups and other partners to build sustainable supply chains and develop long-term solutions to help farmers thrive.

Transporting food – In the future, more food will need to be grown farther from where it is consumed as populations expand rapidly in urban areas and in places most affected by climate change. Open trade and functioning markets are necessary to delivering long-term food security. We improve access to food by leveraging the global scale of Cargill’s logistics network, supply chain expertise and market knowledge to transport food from areas of surplus to areas of need.

Partnering with food banks – We work with national food banks in 18 countries to address hunger, food waste, food safety and other issues.

Nutrition education – Through our partnerships, we have engaged more than 600,000 people in nutrition education programs in 14 countries.

At Cargill, we are focused every day on ensuring that people around the world have access to safe, nutritious and affordable food. As the world’s food needs grow and change, we deliver solutions that reflect advances in science and the social, economic, political and cultural forces that influence food access and choice. We provide ingredient solutions that improve the health benefits of food and help our customers navigate today’s complex food system from field to table:

Healthier ingredients – We recognize the link between diet and health and the need to address the critical problems of undernutrition and obesity. Cargill is advancing healthier ingredients and looking for new ways to produce food ingredients that are more affordable, nutritious and safe. With our knowledge of how ingredient choices, production and processing methods can affect nutrition and other product attributes, we help meet consumer needs and preferences for product taste, appearance, convenience, shelf life, price and nutrition. We supply ingredients that improve the quality and nutritional content of foods, including healthy grains and oils, and options to reduce sugars, trans fats and sodium. Learn more about Cargill products and services (Cargill.com).

Consumer preferences – With our ingredient portfolio and formulation expertise, we help customers respond to the changing food landscape. Cargill makes numerous products and ingredients that satisfy evolving consumer values and preferences, including healthy oils, sweeteners with zero calories or without GMOs, turkeys free from growth-promoting antibiotics and more.

We partner with farmers to improve their livelihoods by helping them increase productivity and incomes, promoting agricultural practices that support a more sustainable future and investing to strengthen agricultural communities:

Farmer training – We have trained millions of farmers around the world to use sustainable farming practices so they can increase yields and profitability. We help farmers grow crops and raise livestock in the most environmentally responsible ways while improving their productivity and conserving resources. Doing more with less – increasing productivity on the same amount of land over time – is critical to achieving food security. We have established farmer field schools that teach hundreds of thousands of smallholder farmers agricultural best practices, provide them access to inputs – such as seed and fertilizer – and assist them in forming cooperative organizations to build their collective capacity and strengthen their communities.

Technology – Technology helps farmers increase planting efficiency, apply crop inputs more precisely and adapt to hotter, drier climates. Using these tools, farmers are boosting yields and maximizing profitability while protecting water quality and soil health, reducing waste and minimizing environmental impact. Getting this technology into the hands of smallholder farmers is essential so they can contribute more fully to a more sustainable, food-secure future.

Pricing and risk management – We support transparent, market-based pricing across all our supply chains so farmers know what to expect and can be sure they are getting market price for the crops they grow and harvest and the animals they raise. We also work with farmers to help them optimize returns and manage risks – such as market fluctuations, weather disruptions that damage crops, a bountiful harvest or a backlog of stored crops that brings down prices – so they can withstand variations from one season to the next.

Strengthening agricultural communities – We believe in empowering communities to help them become more resilient. Our investments and actions focus on improving nutrition and health, education and gender equality. Cargill has contributed nearly $50 million since 2008 to support programs and organizations that improve the nutrition and health of people living in our communities.

As a private-sector leader, we know we have a role to play in global food and nutrition security. Cargill has a history of working in partnership with governments, multilateral organizations and civil society groups to develop long-term solutions that build resilience across the global food system and in local communities. We advocate for policies that increase overall food security and support agricultural development. We also collaborate with partners in the public and private sectors to find long-term solutions to end hunger and ensure all people have access to safe, nutritious and affordable food.